


Always Have to be the Hero

by magequisition



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, FIx It, Fluff, Sappy, finale coda, without demonizing marian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-11
Updated: 2014-07-11
Packaged: 2018-02-08 09:03:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1934928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magequisition/pseuds/magequisition
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A quick OQ coda to the finale, because I refuse to believe that true love will die, but it's also not Marian's fault.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always Have to be the Hero

Regina stared out over the water with tears in her eyes. Distantly, she heard someone calling her name, but she was too caught up in her thoughts to register the sound properly.

_It's always that family, ruining my life, like mother like daughter..._ she thought, but despite her bravado at Granny's she lacked the thrust of true anger that she'd worn as a shield for so many years. 

“Regina,” she heard, the voice that had been calling finally much closer as boots hit the dock behind her. Despite her knowledge of his presence, she jumped when she felt his hand on her shoulder. Tensing, she shook him loose and stepped away, narrowly avoiding stepping off the edge of the dock entirely. 

“Regina, please talk to me.” Robin's voice was pleading. 

“What is there to say?” Regina's voice came out much shakier than she'd planned. She swallowed hard and continued. “She-Marian-is back. She wasn't supposed to be, she's supposed to be dead, but here she is. And she, of course, is your love, so what is there for me?” 

Robin shook his head. “Regina, will you listen to yourself? This is hardly the firey mayor and queen that I know. Marian was my  _first_ love, yes. But you, you're my true love. I've been without Marian for many years, now; I'm not the man she fell in love with anymore and I very much doubt she's the same woman I fell in love with either. And even if all of that were untrue, the fact remains that feelings can change. And what I know is that it's you I love. Think about it. You know I'm telling you the truth. If your Daniel were to return suddenly, would you simply leave me?” 

Regina shook her head. “No, I...I don't think so.” She worried her lip in between her teeth, cursing herself silently for her show of weakness. Love always  _had_ turned her into a fool. 

“Then why do you insist I'll immediately leave you for Marian?” 

“You went to her. Instantly. And Roland – he needs his mother.” 

“And I've no intention of keeping him from her, nor of giving him up entirely. But Roland has grown to love you too, Regina, you know that. And I can see in your every interaction with him how you love him as much as you love Henry. And as to going to Marian,” he paused and reached out to take Regina's hand, “of course I did. I did, at one time, love her deeply. It was as if I'd seen a ghost. But you need to trust in me, Regina. To trust in us. I'm not saying it will be simple. Nothing ever is.” 

Regina laughed. “Especially in Storybrooke.” 

Robin smiled. “Of course. But will you take the chance with me? With true love?” He squeezed her hand and it was that small movement that caused Regina to break. She closed the distance between them with one quick step and pressed herself against his chest, sinking into his embrace as his arms wrapped around her. 

“If you tell anyone I reacted like this, I'll kill you,” she muttered. 

“As far as anyone will know, you were in a murderous rage that I talked you out of, saving the Swan girl's life,” Robin said with a chuckle. 

“You always have to be the hero, don't you?” 

“Only if it's yours I can be.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Written for one of my best friends in all of time and space, Jess, who was feeling pretty down after the finale. Have hope darling, it'll work out!


End file.
